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Fidelity & Excellence91 Aquinas College is unique among American colleges and universities, offering a faithfully Catholic education comprised entirely of the Great Books and classroom discussions.
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A Liberating Education
Truth MattersTruth, and nothing less, sets men free; and because truth is both natural and supernatural, the Colleges curriculum aims at both natural and divine wisdom.
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Is TAC Right for You?Do you enjoy grappling with complex questions? Are you willing to engage in discussions about difficult concepts, with the truth as your ultimate goal?
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Mind, Body & SpiritThere is always something to do at TAC something worthwhile, something fulfilling, and something geared toward ever-greater spiritual and intellectual growth.
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What Can You Do with a Liberal Education?Nothing speaks more to the versatility of the Colleges academic program than the good that our alumni are doing throughout the Church and the world.
Alumnus Priest: How to Keep Your Kids in the Faith for Life
As a priest, the No. 1 question I get asked is, How do I keep my kids Catholic, or how do I help them back if they left?
So reflects Rev. Sebastian Walshe, O.Praem. (94), on a recent episode of Catholic Answers Live, in which he discusses his newest book, .
A Norbertine canon at St. Michaels Abbey in Silverado, California, and the dean of studies at the Abbeys seminary, Fr. Sebastian is previously the author of and . In his newest book, however, he takes a more pastoral approach, offering experience drawn from years in the priesthood to parents longing to give their children the gift of faith.
Alas, in a fallen world where all have free will, Fr. Sebastian admits, there are no surefire formulas or guarantees. Even Jesus, who did everything perfectly, lost one of His 12 Apostles, he acknowledges. I can say this much: If you follow the advice I give in this book, its going to make it a lot easier for your kids to want to be Catholic, and even if they go astray it will make it so much easier for them to come back.
On this note, the priest offers a hopeful anecdote. I remember one of my friends a wonderful family, but one of their sons sort of went off the rails there and is not living a good moral life, he recalls. I said to them, What hes got from his background and his growing up, and what hes going to have from following this life, theres going to be no comparison. And eventually hes going to want to come back, and when he comes back and they have a bunch of kids hes the child in your family thats most likely to become a saint.
The key, says Fr. Sebastian, is for parents to live the Faith themselves, thereby setting a loving example that will, ideally, set their children upon straight paths, but if not, at least give them a sense of where to return when they are ready. To be a Catholic today just to be a serious Catholic means to be very countercultural and to do things that the world thinks are weird. And on top of it, you have to be joyful, he explains. If you are doing the right things and youre living a joyful Catholic life, thats going to help them either stay Catholic or come back to the Catholic faith.
The journey may be long and arduous, but parents must remember always to trust in Gods providence. That sense that God is in charge and Hes taking care of your children, says Fr. Sebastian, has to be at the root of every parents response to this crisis.